


As Sure As Snowflakes Fall

by karxmels



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Crisis changes, Dad Mon-El, F/M, Karamel Secret Santa 2020, Post season 5 AU, slight angst but not much
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:00:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28012818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/karxmels/pseuds/karxmels
Summary: "What do you want for Christmas, bug?""I wanna meet Supergirl."In which Mon-El lands in the 21st century, for the first time on purpose, upon the request of a certain four-year-old.Or, in which reality changes may cause quite a few misunderstandings.
Relationships: Alex Danvers & Kara Danvers, Alex Danvers & Mon-El, Kara Danvers & Mon-El, Kara Danvers/Mon-El
Comments: 38
Kudos: 68





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [akane171](https://archiveofourown.org/users/akane171/gifts).



> I know it's not quite Christmas yet, but... this is my submission for the Karamel Secret Santa 2020!
> 
> First of all, I want to thank the incredible people who organized this. Thank you, infinitely, for your work, and for inviting me. It was really fun writing, and I can't wait to read everyone else's stories.
> 
> Next, I need to thank Mika, an angel who helped me figure out several details for this plot, and Andromeda, - another angel - who agreed once again to beta read my story. You're the best <3
> 
> Now, Kat: you can't imagine how happy I was to when I learned I would dedicate this story to you. You've been a huge part of my 2020, and I hope you enjoy this little gift I prepared :)
> 
> This was supposed to be a one shot, but you know how it is, sometimes the words can't be stopped. Be prepared for lots of Christmas cheesiness ;)
> 
> Off to the story <3

"What do you want for Christmas, bug?" Her gaze, previously locked on the toy in her hands, moved to him, the brightest spark in her eyes. He laughed at the four-year-old bouncing in front of him with curiosity, beaming such pure, such innocent joy that he couldn't help but smile gratefully. 

Gratitude had made its presence known to him throughout the past year. He was grateful to her, of course, she who had appeared so abruptly, blessing his days, filling his heart in a way he hadn't known possible. Above it all, however, he was grateful that she had been young enough to not be scarred after life's ruthlessness, that her wounds had closed and healed, leaving no trace behind. 

_Thank Rao, thank all the gods._

"Go ahead, you can ask for anything." She smiled toothily as he ruffled her blonde hair, considering her request.

"I wanna meet Supergirl _,_ " she decided, buzzing with excitement. He held his breath, his eyes widening slightly. 

"Are you sure? You don't want a… doll? An action-figure? One of those dinosaurs you love so much?" He saw her clutch the stuffed dinosaur under her arm more tightly, her smile faltering, eyes dimming. She fidgeted with her fingers, opening her mouth to speak, when he shook his head. _Oh, what he wouldn't do for her._ "You know what, kiddo? I'll do my best. You sure you don't want anything else?"

"Nope," her voice was quiet, but her lips tipped up again, much to his own bliss.

"Alright, I hope it works out, then," he whispered, more to himself. "Why do you want to meet Supergirl, anyway?" 

"She seems brave. And cool. You like 'er." He cursed his stupidly attached self. _Damn it,_ he had shared a lot. "I wanna meet her." She shrugged, sheepishly returning to her toy.

_If only it were that easy…_

Bedtime Supergirl was indeed all of those things, hence his daughter's wish to see for herself. Truth be told, though… _his_ Supergirl had also been all of that (and much more), and he had had to let her go. It wouldn't be easy to go back, to see her again, find out what kind of life she led without him.

_But for his little Mellie…_

"Alright, kiddo." He smiled. "I'll have to be careful, though! Can't have you two supergirls teaming up against me!" The girl giggled as he squeezed her cheek, dropping a kiss to her forehead.

He was _screwed._

* * *

_He was too late._

_He knew that before his boots had even hit the scorched planet's surface._

_Too late to stop Brainiac._

_Too late to help the planet._

_Too late to save its people._

_Mon-El’s heart dropped and continued to do so just as the ashes rained down on him endlessly._

_The cinder was already covering everything in sight, hiding the heinous crime inflicted upon those innocent people. People whose only sin was not being developed enough to quench the super villain’s maniacal thirst for superior intelligence. This was the trail of his nanobots wherever he went. Dark and dead as the piles of charred wood beams Mon-El could see in front of him._

_Pieces once forming houses, buildings, hospitals, schools..._

_Mon-El stifled a sob. He was too late to even hear their last screams._

_With a heavy heart, he commanded his team to search for any survivors, even when all his hope had already been abandoned. It wasn’t the first time he had been on a mission this tragic, yet he had never seen anything so catastrophic. Genocide, that's what it was._

_Aimlessly, he headed north, approaching a burned complex, too big to be a house and barely standing, thanks to the stone pillar at the side. He closed his eyes, concentrating on finding sounds that could hint at any remaining life. As if his prayers had been heard, he picked up a single heartbeat, faint, but erratic._

_Hope fueling his body, Mon-El broke into a run until he had to slow down and proceed carefully through the dangerously crumbling ruins. His veins filled with fear as he kept the weak heartbeat as his reference point._

_“Hello?! Can you hear me?” he shouted, praying to Rao that he would hear a response._

_He began to hear breathing noises, too frail to his liking._

_“Hang in there!”_

_Mon-El redoubled his efforts in removing the debris, until a girl's hand was unearthed. He grabbed the cold hand, which didn't return his grip but only shook against his warmer one. “We’re going to save you,” he promised._

_Two other Legionnaires rushed to his aid. Within minutes, the excavation was accomplished, and the little girl was freed. Her small body showed ugly scratches and bruises, and she was covered in dust._

_Mon-El reached for her, cradling her trembling body, his vision becoming cloudy. He brushed her dirty hair, wiped her cheek, brought her head against his shoulder._

_"You're okay now," he whispered, wanting it to be true, more than anything else._

_Mon-El couldn’t stop his tears even if he wanted to. The child in his arms twisted and fidgeted until long after he flew her away from there. She didn't wail, didn't scream, and he felt his chest tighten as he watched. She was too young. He swore to shield and protect the little girl, at least until he knew she was safe again, until he knew she could regain the life in her eyes, so mercilessly stripped away from her._

* * *

"Where are we going?" she asked, as he led her by her hand into the ship, smiling at the look of sheer wonder in her face.

"Didn't you say you wanted to meet Supergirl for Christmas?"

"But Christmas is in two days. I know 'cause uncle Winn told me and — wait, really?" She turned to him, as if she had just realized the meaning in his words.

"Yes, bug." He chuckled. "You're gonna have two Christmasses this year. We're going to the past to meet Supergirl." His smile became tight, clad in a nervousness his daughter didn't catch.

"Yes!" She jumped with excitement, still holding his hand. "Wait, past?

"Yeah. We're time-traveling! She doesn't live at the same time as us." The look in her face was the epitome of gears working. The crinkle between her brow didn't fade, her puzzlement still clear.

"How?"

"We're gonna hit a disruption, enter a wormhole, and… you know what? You'll understand when you're older," he concluded, bashfully. Amelia's frown deepened, mad at her father for not finishing his explanation, but he only laughed, kissing her forehead.

The girl quickly shook her frustration off, skipping in utter enthusiasm, "I have so many questions!"

It would be a long trip.

* * *

_"Have you guys found anything?" Mon-El asked, a frown between his brows, his leg twitching every other second, as if he couldn't keep still._

_They had landed on earth shortly before, and, after ensuring that the little girl was assisted, cleaned and treated, he had rushed to instruct his companions to search for any information they could find on her._

_"Not yet, but we're looking into it," Winn replied, from behind his computer. He could feel the gaze of the other Legionnaires boring into him, yet he didn't pay it attention. "Did she tell you anything helpful?"_

_"No. She told me her name's Amelia, but that's just it. She hasn't spoken more than a couple of words." He crossed his arms, bringing a hand to his chin. Winn examined Mon-El's stance: tense and troubled. It had been a long time since he'd last seen him like this, so involved, so determined. He really cared about the girl._

_"We'll keep digging, don't worry," Imra stepped up, voicing Winn's thoughts, smiling tightly._

_"Alright," he breathed, still unsure. "Thank you."_

* * *

Aside from a little nausea, some dizziness here and there, they had no problem arriving in the twenty-first century.

He parked their pod in an open field, making sure to activate its cloaking feature. He grabbed the backpack he had brought, and noticed that Amelia had fallen asleep, so he carefully scooped her in his arms, taking off. He made sure to slow down once they reached National City, his little girl's eyes having shot open just in time to watch its winter beauty from up high.

Though the temperatures did drop around that time of the year, the air was rarely moist enough to allow snow to fall, and when it did happen, it wasn't for more than a few seconds. He had learned all about it when Kara took him away to a place where 'there were white, frozen drops falling from the sky', as he'd once described it. Every detail from that afternoon had been etched into his memory, from her explaining the science behind it all (and him not listening to a single word she said, despite having her having his full attention), to their snow angels and snowmen, their snowball fights...

Better to steer away from such thoughts.

Even without the magical ice crystals pouring over them, the city still managed to bring the holiday spirit to life. He watched fondly as Amelia's big eyes roamed around, mesmerized by the sights below her. She reminded him of his younger self, foreign and yearning to learn.

The ever lightsome town shone even brighter beneath the traditional Christmas glow. There were lights everywhere. On treetops, house roofs, building fronts, light poles… it was National City's most bedazzling days.

They even passed the central plaza, where he was able to show her the faux reindeers, Santas, and the biggest, most adorned Christmas tree either of them had ever seen. Seeing the sparkle in her eyes as they soared through the city that had once meant so much to him — and, if he was being honest, still very much did — was amongst the most precious moments he had ever witnessed. For a long time now, moments such as these had revolved more and more around Amelia, and he realized that he didn't mind it.

He reduced his speed to minimal as they approached their destination, landing in an alley nearby before walking the remaining distance. Winn had given him the precise coordinates to a place called 'The Tower', where he was to find the people whom he had been looking to meet. Apparently, the 'super friends' team had changed locations, the Department of Extranormal Operations no longer safe for their heroic business. 

Entering the edifice had been easy enough, but what he found once he did was severely underwhelming. He stood in the middle of a dull, fully furnished room, whose blinds were half-way closed, and whose insides showed no one but the two of them.

"Uh… hello?" He walked around, inspecting the place. His forehead was creased as he attempted to find an opening, to no avail. "Kara?" With the hand that wasn't holding on to Amelia, he reached for the desk beside him, grabbing a book lying on top of it. He examined the object, but found nothing out of the ordinary. Returning it to its place, he took more steps forward. "Alex?" The silence within the room made him uneasy, invoking a tension that seemed to traverse his body and reach his daughter's, causing her to cower in his arms.

Waiting for a few more minutes was proven to be the correct choice, for the brick wall at the back of the room divided into two, sliding open in a divergent motion, revealing an elevator behind. 

Mon-El walked up the velveted stairs leading up to the elevator, hesitantly stepping inside. Amelia balled his cape in her fists, tightening her arms around him, "It's okay, kiddo. We'll find them here," he whispered, providing the little girl some small comfort. He gave a slight jump when he heard the wall behind him open, but hastily turned around past the sudden jolt.

He took in the vision before him with widened eyes and mouth agape. The Tower shared similarities with both the DEO and the Legion headquarters, yet there was a strong arcane feeling to it that remained particular about the place. 

There were multiple monitoring screens, several desks, windows, and a balcony. He also spotted a staircase, which appeared to lead to another set of quarters, a floor higher. 

Just as he thought he wouldn't find anyone there either, he heard rushed footsteps, louder by the second. His eyes moved to the source, meeting a disoriented Alex Danvers, whose figure had just appeared from behind the barrier separating the upper hallway from the stairs.

Her gaze met his, and she sprinted down the steps, only stopping when she stood few feet before him. "Mon-El." Her voice showed the smallest alteration in pitch, but the smile pulling her lips as she granted him a brief nod was unaffected. "I thought I heard something and ran to check the surveillance cameras. Imagine my surprise seeing you."

"Hey, Alex," he greeted, grinning. He saw the redhead's eyes travel to the child in his arms, and promptly moved the girl to face her. "This is Amelia, my daughter." Alex's usual unwavering stance was broken for a second, her jaw dropping, lips forming a round shape.

"Hi, Amelia," she voiced, after composing herself from the initial surprise. Her smile widened as she observed the girl's features, her tone softening.

"Mellie, this is Supergirl's sister, Alex. Wanna say hi?" He turned his head to her, finding her eyes.

"Hi," she complied, shyly, receiving a light pat on the back from her father. Alex chuckled, disarmed, returning her gaze to Mon-El.

"What brings you by, this time of the year? Is everything okay in the future?"

"Yes, everything's good. This one had a special wish for Christmas this year. What was it again, kiddo?" 

"I wanna meet Supergirl," she stated, her voice small but upbeat. Alex was instantly wrapped up in Amelia's sweetness, unable to fight the toothy grin in her face.

"I think that can be arranged. I'm sure she would love to meet you too!" Something in the woman's chest fluttered when she watched a hopeful glimmer cross the girl's eyes. "She's in the med bay, I was just giving her a check up before. There was an alien fight, I had to make sure everything was still in place," she chortled.

Mon-El, who had been fondly watching the two females interact, lowered his daughter to the floor, worry lines deepening on his forehead.

"Is she okay?"

"Yeah, don't worry. Just some minor scratches here and there, and she's a bit tired, but that's all," she assured, taking her hands to her hips. "Thank God J'onn finally let me set up the infirmary here. You'd think that a group of crime fighting aliens would need something of the sort. Can you believe that I had no way of making sure my sister was safe, for months?"

"Sounds risky." He chuckled at her exasperation, yet knowing the truth in her words.

"Yeah, tell me about it." She shook her head, sighing. "Anyway, can I take you two there? Kara has been waiting for me, and I know you're eager to see her."

"Of course." He smiled, taking a deep breath as he watched Alex take Amelia's hand and lead the way.

Concentrating on Amelia's wishes had helped him keep his mind busy until then. He had told himself that it was the logical thing to do: to silence his racing thoughts, to withhold them from clouding his judgement. However, deep down he knew that it was his heart desperately coming up with excuses. He knew that, at the bottom, he was just terrified of being face-to-face with the woman who had once so effortlessly torn down his walls. He was clueless as to what he would do once he faced her, after so many years, and, as the moment approached, he realized that he was in more trouble than he'd thought.

 _Clearly,_ he assumed, the best choice was to keep his act. To follow his parental instincts, to focus on his little girl, to ignore his own emotions and shove them deep behind everything else. _That was what he did best, anyway._

Nevertheless, the second she turned her face to look at him, — her big, blue eyes boring into his, her crimson lips twitching as if unsure of how to best react, her back straightening, her hand traveling to her hair, tucking a blonde strand behind her ear — he felt as though the oxygen had left his lungs. He had to harken back to his previous stream of thought, reminding himself to breathe and force a smile past his lips.

_It would be okay._

"Hi," he breathed, as he saw Alex release Amelia's hand and walk up to her sister. He removed his bag from his shoulders, placing it on the floor against the wall.

"Mon-El." She didn't really know what else to say, the unexpected turn of events having hit her all at once, all too fast. As Alex turned to the monitor, scanning the test results, searching for any anomaly, Kara's eyes were fixed on him. She couldn't quite pinpoint why he looked so different and familiar at the same time. His entire poise was contradictory: his eyes had a glint of joy that hadn't been there the last time she saw him, but his tense shoulders showed a kind of heaviness much like the one she knew.

She had been so enraptured by his sudden return, that she barely noticed the child standing close to his leg. It was only when he bent over to lift her up in his arms, that Kara became aware of the little girl’s presence. A frown made its way between her brows as she took in the sight.

_It couldn't be, could it?_

"You're good to go," Alex uttered, pulling her out of her trance. "I'll let you two talk?" The blonde nodded when she felt her sister squeeze her upper arm, shooting her a sympathetic smile. Before leaving, Alex’s gaze pierced Mon-El's, as if wishing him luck and warning him to not mess things up. Lastly, she turned to Amelia and gently patted her head, whispering a quick farewell and receiving a timid one in return.

Mon-El took a moment to absorb Kara's image, the smile on his face suddenly more genuine, causing hers to widen as well. "I like your new suit," he remarked, stepping closer. 

"Thanks," she chuckled, looking down at her lap. "Oh, please, sit!" She pulled a stool from under the stretcher, gesturing for him to take a seat, and moved to lie down. Mon-El complied, adjusting his daughter on his lap, turning to look at her face. He had to suppress a laugh as he saw her wide eyes and frozen expression. "Who's this?" Kara asked, apprehensive.

"This is Amelia, my daughter." He turned back to her, still grinning.

"Oh."

_It could._

Her expression fell, her shoulders slumped and her jaw tightened, but if he noticed the change in her demeanor, he didn't show it. She took a deep breath, trying to compose herself.

_Years had passed, of course he would build a family. The little girl didn't deserve her resentment, and neither did he. It wasn't a bad thing, she just needed a few minutes for the knowledge to sink in. Breathe._

"Hi, Amelia." She smiled, mustering as much kindness as she could.

"Supergirl," the girl whispered, disbelief written all over her face, despite her being there for several minutes. Kara chuckled, her eyes softening as they stared into Amelia's.

"Yes, but my friends call me Kara." She winked. Mon-El's large grin widened even further as his daughter turned to him, eyes bigger than he'd ever seen them, if that were possible. He pecked the top of her head, stroking her arm. Kara's gaze moved to his. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Uh," he paused, scratching his beard. "This one here wanted to meet you as her Christmas gift." 

"Say what?" Her mouth was open, the corners of her lips upward, unsure of whether to grin or laugh. At least it explained what she had been wondering ever since he introduced them. If he were back due to an emergency in the future, on Christmas Eve, accompanied solely by his tiny daughter, she would have gotten seriously concerned.

"It's true," he chuckled. "I couldn't say no. Right, bug?"

"Yeah," Amelia, who had been stunned until that moment, finally spoke, the corners of her lips rising.

"Well, aren't you the cutest. Wanna come here?" Kara patted the place next to her on the bed, making the girl turn to her dad, searching his eyes. Mon-El nodded, moving to lay her next to Kara, who put an arm around her shoulders. He sat back, an unexpected wave of warmth and joy hitting him as he saw his daughter in Kara's arms. "How old are you, sweetheart?"

"Four!" she replied, her voice enthused as she showed four fingers of one hand.

"Four? You're so big!" She held the girl's little hand in her larger one, squeezing it gently. A bright smile crossed Amelia's lips before she shook her head.

"Dad says I'm little." Her pout, Kara decided, was one of the most heartbreakingly adorable things she'd ever seen. As her eyes twinkling flickered to his, she was staggered by the bliss and contentment in his gaze.

"Well, that's just because your dad wants to always be able to hold you in his arms and feel like he's protecting you. Isn't that right?" He glimpsed at his daughter's eyes, large and full of wonder, before settling on Kara, who blinked at him knowingly, simply awaiting his confirmation.

"Couldn't have said it better." Amelia stared at him for a few more seconds, before shrugging and turning to the woman next to her. Kara sighed, searching her mind for something that would help continue their conversation. _What did four-year-olds enjoy talking about, anyway?_

"Um… you know, when I was around your age, my mother gave me a stuffed dragon, because I kept insisting that I wanted one as a pet,” she began, softly. Mon-El grinned as he imagined the scene, laughing inwardly. "Though definitely not the same as having a real one, she was my favorite toy." She smiled, growing emotional at the memory, caressing the girl's upper arm. "Do you have a favorite toy of your own?" 

"Yessss!" Amelia nodded eagerly, extending her arms to her father, who soon caught the message. He chuckled as he turned around, reaching for his backpack. He dug through it, searching for what he presumed that the little girl had silently requested. A few moments later, he returned the bag to its place against the wall, having found what he wanted: Amelia's stuffed dinosaur. 

"Who's this?" Kara asked, as Mon-El handed his daughter her toy.

"Mr. Speckles! He's my best friend," she stated, vibrantly.

"He seems lovely.”

"He's very smug sometimes, but we have fun!”

"Smug?" Kara snickered, the corners of her eyes wrinkling as she hugged the girl tighter, pressing her cheek against the top of her head, locking her gaze with Mon-El's.

"She just learned that word," he explained.

"Gotcha," she laughed. "So, Mr. Speckles…" She anchored her attention to Amelia once more. "Tell me more about him! Have you two gone on any adventures?"

"Yes! Daddy sometimes lets me take him flying! I really like that. He likes it too, but he gets dizzy! Don't tell him I told you." 

"I won't," Kara chuckled.

"Oh! Dad also took us to an amuse… _amusent_ park once! T'was really fun. Speckles was scared." 

"I bet he was!"

Mon-El observed the scene before him with lit up eyes, overcome with emotion. He couldn't help but love the fact that Kara's enthusiasm matched his daughter's, the fact that, even as Amelia rambled on about subjects as frivolous as ice cream flavors, the kindness in her responses was astounding, never failing to widen his little one's grin.

_If only things had been different…_

Attempting to shake his thoughts away, to calm his mind and focus on the present, he took a long breath, one that provided little comfort to his heart. He hung his head low, before his eyes retraced their path to both females, the corners of his lips subtly pulled. 

"Bug, we should get going," he smiled, apologetically. Amelia's expression fell as she heard the words, a small "aw," escaping her lips.

"Are you guys going back already?" Kara tried her best to hide the disappointment in her voice, but was almost sure that she hadn't succeeded.

"No," he replied. "It's better if we have some rest before time traveling again."

"Where are you staying?" Kara inquired.

"We'll find somewhere. In the meantime, I can show Mellie around..."

"Can't we stay more?" the girl whined, pleading. "Just a little bit?"

"We can drop by Kara’s place tomorrow to wish her a Merry Christmas, bug. I'm sure right now she's tired." The frown in Amelia's petite countenance deepened, her eyes filling with tears.

"Nonsense, Mon-El. I'm having a family lunch tomorrow, and you two are coming." Her tone made it clear that there was no space for declining, but her eyes displayed a warm and welcoming expression. "It would make more sense for you to stay over at my place tonight."

"Kara, no, I can't accept that."

"Mon-El, please. I can't let you two just wander for Rao knows how long in search of a place to stay."

"I… I don't want to impose on you that much."

"I still haven't finished putting up my decorations, and I could really use some help." She knew she would win him over with that. One look at his defeated shoulders and she could tell that he was caving in. Even so, grinning triumphantly and glancing at him with mischief, she decided to add, "Besides, if you feel so inclined, you can bake those irresistible cookies that we never got the chance to taste _at Christmas._ " He laughed, lowering his head.

It was true. He had learned the culinary skill a few months after they'd begun dating, and had been eager to test it on everything he could. Several times, that meant baking traditionally festive treats and dishes at the most random times of the year, gingerbread cookies included. Unfortunately, his being forced to leave Earth had ensured that he wouldn't be there to put his accomplishments to use when the holidays came around.

"Are you sure?" he asked, needing the confirmation.

"Absolutely."

He turned to his daughter, his smile wider and more spontaneous now, "What do you say, Mellie?"

"Yes! Yes, yes, yes, yes!" Both adults were in stitches as she squealed, bouncing in place, euphoric.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When certain conversation topics can’t be avoided any longer, misunderstandings leave Kara and Mon-El puzzled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said I’d post this yesterday, but something happened and I couldn’t. Sorry! Here it is :)
> 
> Again, kudos to my amazing beta, Andromeda <3
> 
> Thank you for all the love you guys showed last chapter! Made a girl happy!
> 
> Kat, this is still your gift, so I hope you’ll enjoy ;)
> 
> Off to the story!

_ "Pick one you like," he uttered, holding Amelia up, facing a screen that showed their options on stuffed animals. He had decided to take her to the nearest replicator, knowing there was a possibility that she would find something she liked, but also wanting to leave that place and clear both their minds while his team worked to find any useful data. He nudged her, "It's okay. One of these little guys can keep you company."  _

_ He saw her bite her lip, mulling the decision over for a brief second, before pointing to the image of a green dinosaur with yellow spots. Mon-El balanced the girl over his hip and requested the toy with a few touches to the screen. Moments later, he heard the sound that indicated the machine had finished its job, and extracted the dinosaur from the container below the monitor. _

_ "What's his name?" he questioned, but she just looked at him, confused. "Do you want to find out later, or do you want me to ask him?" She just looked at him, her green eyes wide and bemused. _

_ "Ask him?" he guessed. "Alright." He moved the toy so it faced them both, "Hey there. I'm Mon-El, this is Amelia. What's your name?" He brought it close to his ear, pretending to listen to his answer. "What?!" He looked at Amelia, frowning, "He says it's Mr. Handsome." His brows shot up, his lips pursed, playful. _

_ The girl's lips twitched up, only a minimal movement, but it had been the first time he'd seen it happen. He couldn't help but mirror her smile, bumping the dinosaur against her nose.  _

_ "C'mon, your real name," he pressed. "Oh. It's Mr. Speckles. Classic."  _

_ He almost couldn't believe it when he heard her giggle in his arms. It was quiet, timid, but the fact that he had incited it still made him grin widely.  _

_ "What's that?" he asked, looking into the animal's eyes, mockingly serious. He took it to his ear once more, "Ah, you can change it if you don't like it." Amelia shook her head, accepting the name he made up. "Mr. Speckles it is." _

_ "Hm? Oh, he says he likes you." He stood still, as if waiting for the dinosaur to continue. "And he wants to be your friend!" he cooed, the excitement in his voice a little too exaggerated, but enough to make her smile once again. He handed the girl her stuffed dinosaur, and she immediately took it in a hug, closing her eyes. Adorable. _

_ "C'mon," he said. "Are you hungry? We have food there at the Legion, but we can get some candy or… protein bars if you want."  _

_ He was terrible at this. Was he even supposed to give children this stuff?  _

_ "You know what? I'm just gonna get this. And this. If you want anything just… poke me, I don't know." _

* * *

  
Mon-El marveled at the sight in front of him. Kara sat on the couch, stroking his daughter's hair as the girl lay splayed across her lap. Amelia tried to maintain the conversation between them, speaking in hushed, weary whispers, battling her exhaustion and sleepiness to stay awake.

From the minute they'd set foot in Kara's apartment, Amelia had not only granted the woman her undivided attention, but also just about monopolized her. He had begun to clean up the mess they'd made, his presence apparently less needed, to keep himself busy and to try to sort his thoughts out as best he could. Kara had shot him quite a few apologetic glances, but he had just shrugged them off, happy to see them both enjoy their time together. There was an inexplicable, tingling sensation coursing through his veins as he watched the ease with which she interacted with his daughter, and how effortless she made it look.

He couldn't get rid of the emotions disorienting him as he cleaned. He had had to fight to suppress the thundering of his heart throughout the night, the events he had witnessed in the space of a few hours too overwhelming to bear. 

The simple things, he found, hit him the hardest. The way Kara booped Amelia's nose, smudging it with cookie dough, eliciting the most genuine fit of giggles from the little one. The way she held the girl up, an invigoratingly vivid glint in her eyes, prompting her to place the star on top of the brightly-lit tree. The way she spoke to her, fully concentrating, listening to her every word. The way she gave his daughter an utter, sheer happiness, just like the little one had wished for. 

_ Kara. _

He remembered how it felt being around her. It was as though he was constantly being knocked down by an avalanche of feelings, too stubborn to be tamed. 

It was becoming clear that, regardless of how much time passed, that sensation  — one he judged too intense to harmonize with his matured self  — would never cease to emerge when  _ she  _ was the one concerned . Thankfully, the years he had spent concentrating on his self-development had made him an expert in breathing in, breathing out, and waiting for his thoughts to disentangle while his head wasn’t in the right place.

"Mon-El," she whispered, causing him to give a slight jump.

"Hm?" He raised his head, leaning against the counter.

"She's down for the count." She smiled, faintly. His eyes moved to his daughter's sleeping form, his lips stretching as well. "I'm gonna put her on my bed, is that okay?"

"Oh," he interjected, frowning. "Are you sure? She'd be fine on the couch too."

"It's no problem," Kara replied, standing up, arms around the passed out four-year-old. His gaze followed her as she took the child to bed, his lips pressed together. 

"She's safely tucked in," she spoke, approaching him in the kitchen. 

"Thank you," he responded, his tone gentle, somewhat tired. He ran a hand through his hair, turning around. "Do you want more hot chocolate?"

"Sure." She observed him, fondly, hit by a sudden nostalgia. To have him there again, cooking, laughing, making hot chocolate, brought back an immensity of memories, surfacing unannounced. It had felt good once, for sure. But it hadn't been meant to be.

He grabbed both their mugs from over the sink, filling them up with the remaining beverage. He walked over to the couch, Kara following suit, accepting her cup when he offered it. He took a sip, reveling in the warm feeling spreading through his body, before speaking again,

"You're really good with Amelia." The words prompted her to look at him, heat rising to her cheeks.

"I mean… I barely did anything. She makes it easy.” She shrugged, and he shook his head.

“I’m serious, though. She loves you already. I’ve never seen her laugh so much with someone she just met. You’re a natural, I believe,” he grinned. Kara chuckled, hanging her head, suddenly shy.

“You said… you said she had wanted to meet  _ me  _ as her Christmas gift.” A crinkle appeared between her eyebrows. “How- how come?”

“Oh, that…” He scratched his chin, planning his next words. “I told her a few bedtime stories, shared some of your adventures… I guess she just began to look up to you, somehow.” Her breath got caught in her throat as her eyes bore into his.

“W-well… thank you,” she stammered, her lips twitching. “For giving her such a good image of me.”

“You did that yourself, I just told the stories.” His voice was low and velvety, and she had to inhale sharply to shake off yet another compliment. She returned her gaze to her drink, taking another sip.

“How’s… how’s everything in the future? How’s Imra doing?” she asked, eyes traveling frantically around the room. Mon-El frowned, tilting his head. 

_ Why would she want to know that? She didn’t ask about Winn’s whereabouts, or J'onn’s… Last time he'd checked, she and Imra hadn't built a relationship. _

"She's fine, why do you ask?" It was her turn to frown, analyzing his expression, before looking away yet again.

"I mean, she's- she's your wife. Amelia's mom, I- I was just asking." 

"Wait what?" His eyebrows met his hairline, a chuckle almost breaking past his lips.

"What?" she repeated, his unexpected puzzlement putting her on alert.

"Imra's not my wife." His expression mirrored her own, questions etched all around.  _ Had she gone crazy? _

"What do you mean?"  _ Had he gone crazy? _

"I mean that we… are not married? Where did you get that from?"

"Mon-El, the last time you were here you literally kissed her in front of me and introduced her as your wife." His eyes widened to a near impossible size.

"What? No! I'd never do that." His pitch rose, outraged that the thought would even cross her mind, drink forgotten in his grip.

"Are you okay? Does time traveling mess with your memories?" He opened his mouth to speak, but stopped himself, attempting to read her, to figure her out

"Kara, I'm telling the truth,” he reinforced, more calmly. “Imra's with my friend Garth, I... in no reality would I ever marry her. I can't even imagine how that would work out." Something sparked in her mind upon hearing his statement. She was stagnant for a few seconds, and he wondered whether she had stopped breathing as well.

_ Reality. _ Her eyes widened in realization. 

“The crisis,” she whispered. 

"What's that?" he asked, eyes squinted, still clueless. She tried to wrap her head around all that was happening, her adrift mind struggling to quiet down.

"Last year… we were fighting this… monster, Anti-Monitor. Everyone was there: Oliver, Barry, the Legends… some things went wrong and we… we ended up rewriting reality. A lot of things changed, for instance, we're all on the same earth now." He eyed her, his gaze narrow, his brows furrowed, amused. "It's complicated,” she explained.

"Okay,” he chuckled, bringing his mug to his lips.

"You not being married to Imra… it must've changed because of that." 

"I guess…" he mumbled, frowning. "Wow, who would have thought…" His eyebrows rose, and he shook his head, picturing what Kara had described. He cringed as the image flooded his mind, making Kara laugh at his playfully shivering form. He chuckled, face muscles relaxing, deciding to drop the subject, giving a dismissive wave of his hand. 

"I'm sorry." She buried her face in her hand, having realized how her springing that much information on him had backfired.

"No worries." He winked. She stared at him, blinking a few times, trying to connect the rest of the dots as he recovered from the strange experience. Her eyes traveled down to her lap, and she sipped the hot chocolate again.

"But the rest still happened as I remember, right? I mean, you ended up in the 31st century, and came back to fight Pestilence, and then, you know, left again?" she finally asked.

"Yeah, that happened." He nodded.

She chewed on her lip, her eyes moving to her hands, pensive. 

_ He… he wasn’t married to Imra. Was he married to someone else, then? She didn’t see a ring, but, truthfully, she’d never seen him wear one when he was committed either… _

"Forgive my bluntness, but… if you weren't married, why didn't we get back together? You know… when you came back from the future." Her voice was feeble, more emotional than she had foreseen. He took a deep breath upon hearing her question, biting the inside of his cheek, diverting his gaze for a second.

"I wasn't the guy you fell in love with anymore,” he confessed, breathily. “I never told you that I still felt the same, we- we never took that leap, you know?” His voice shook, as did his hands. “And when it was time for the Legion to go back… they told me they needed me. So heroic duties got in our way once again." His chest rose as he inhaled, before dropping as he sighed.

"Oh,” she breathed.

"Yeah." He brought a hand to his face, trying to wipe away all the newly aroused emotion within him, all the memories haunting his mind, crawling their way into his heart. 

Kara had seemed to share similar feelings, for she remained silent for a few moments, profoundly affected by the turn their conversation had taken. When she spoke again, there was trepidation in her tone, "Who's… who's Amelia's mom, then?" A small smile curved his lips, thankful for her change of subject, however minimal it was.

“Mellie’s not… she’s not my biological daughter." He gulped, glancing at her briefly through lowered eyelashes. Her lips formed a round shape, jaw dropping almost imperceptibly, gaze meeting his, signaling silently for him to go on. "Brainiac… he had this devious thirst for power. He wanted to conquer every planet, to destroy them if necessary. Once, on a mission, we landed on this world… it was ruined. Completely devastated." Kara's eyes softened as she saw sorrow cross his irises, too affected by the painful reminiscences. "I could hear a weak heartbeat, though, and we did an excavation… that's when we found her."

"Oh my God…" she gasped, bringing a hand to cover her gaping mouth.

"Our team… they searched the entire planet, but… there were no other survivors."

"Mon-El… I'm so sorry." He gave her an appreciative nod of his head, swallowing the knot in his throat once more.

"I'm so thankful to her… she's so bright and bubbly, and… sometimes I feel like she could ask me to give her the world and I'd do it." She chortled at his words, him following suit. "I just want to give her the life she deserves. To make sure she's safe, to protect her… it pains me that I can't guarantee that." He fought the tears threatening to well up, looking down at his lap, wishing he could shake the burden of leadership off his shoulders, at least for the time being.

"Rao, if only you knew how amazing you are just by saying that." She lowered her chin, urging him to look at her, smiling tenderly, in spite of how awestruck she felt inside. "Amelia is really lucky to have you. Don't let this insecurity get to you, because you're doing one hell of a job so far." 

_ Glowing. Gorgeous, inside and out. _

His lips tipped up, his head falling to the side, "Thank you."

"Don't mention it." She shrugged.

They moved on to lighter topics of conversation, both too fed up with the complexity of a superhero's life. Nevertheless, he was soon forced to give into slumber, the exhaustion of time traveling having caught up to him. Kara was quick to follow, surprisingly. One moment, she was inwardly promising to go fix herself a place to lie down, eyes fixed on his peaceful form, and, the next, she was already soundly gone, across from him, on that very couch.

* * *

_ "She's in the med bay, they're doing some more check ups. She's still not speaking, but at least now she has something to play with while she's there. Did you find anything new?" _

_ "Yes. You're not gonna like this," Garth informed him. His voice was toneless, but a dark glimmer crossed his irises. Mon-El inhaled sharply, gesturing for him to proceed. "We think that Brainiac's minions separated her from her parents, as well as many other children, long before they burned everything down. The place where you found her was one of the detention facilities where they kept the children, if our theory is correct. We haven't really found anything else; they seem to be trying to destroy all known evidence of the masacre." _

_ Mon-El could feel his eyes sting. He had known that Brainiac was as heartless as he was atrocious, yet this was something else. Burning houses down, destroying the life of an entire planet was already vicious enough, but forcing children to die, burned and alone? He couldn't describe the rage he felt. _

_ Detention facility.  _

_ Where they kept the children. _

_ He wanted to scream. If they had excavated a tad further, they would have probably found more innocent, young lives lost. Had they really lost them all? Or had he just been wrong in not commanding them to dig deeper? He brought a hand to his face, rubbing it harshly, wiping the wrathful tears. _

_ Winn sprinted to his side, bringing a hand to his back, attempting to soothe his inner distress, unsuccessful. _

_ "Mon-El," he called, soft and careful. "She was the only one left." _

_ "How can you know that?" Despite the fury coursing through his veins, his tone was brittle, dripping with an insecurity he thought had been buried long before. _

_ "I know it. Besides you only hearing one heartbeat, there were other superpowered Legionnaires there with you, none of whom noticed further signs of life. You saved her, Mon-El." _

_ Last daughter of her planet. Faultless and pure, made victim of a man's wantonness. Merely three years old  _ _ — were their calculations correct — and the girl had already suffered through more than most adults would find bearable. _

_ They would find Brainiac, and they would defeat him. He would squirm and suffer, just as those families had when he took everything from them. _

_ "We should probably call an alien adoption agency to pick her up," Ayla spoke, rising to join Mon-El and her husband. Mon-El's eyes widened, indignant.  _

_ "Are you insane?! She's already been through so much! Who knows how long it's gonna be until someone wants to adopt her? And if she ends up with people who don't deserve her? We can't let that happen." _

_ "Mon-El, calm down. What do you suggest, then?" she asked, watching him exhale, trying to cool his head. Imra and Garth had stood up as well, approaching them at the center table. Just as he opened his mouth to respond, he heard faint footsteps behind him. _

_ When he turned around, he saw little Amelia, clutching the dinosaur he had just given her, eyes large and fearful. How she had managed to leave the med bay and find him, he didn't know, but his gaze still softened at the sight. _

_ He crouched to her level, holding her by the waist and lifting her up. She slowly released one arm from its previous grip on the stuffed toy, wrapping it around Mon-El's neck instead. He could sense her eyes moving frantically along the room, from face to face, frightened. All this new information seemed to be too much for the little girl, for she dropped her head to his shoulder, hiding her face against his neck. _

_ Mon-El took a deep breath. The bottled emotions inside him made his chest shake slightly, but he had no doubts when he spoke again, "She can stay with me until we find a nurturing family that wants to take her. I'll figure out what I have to do, and who I have to contact to make that possible." _

_ He should have known that he would not be able to let go. Not when she looked at him like that, not when she already had him wrapped around her tiny finger. _

_ Once he was attached… there was no changing his mind. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They finally talked! Next chapter comes on the 23rd! Thank you for reading! Let me hear your thoughts!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s finally Christmas, and Kara and Mon-El may need a few pushes in order to forget their apprehensions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas (Eve-Eve), everyone!
> 
> This is the third and last chapter of this story, and I can’t be happier to finally share it.  
> Huge thanks to Andromeda, for helping me make this better.
> 
> To Mika, for putting up with my crazy ass freaking out over girl names, and for helping me write that first flashback. Means the world.
> 
> Thank you for all the love you guys are showing this story! I intend to reply to your sweet comments under last chapter soon. Having a bit of trouble with my laptop :/
> 
> I hope everyone enjoys this (especially you, Kat!) 
> 
> Ps: not that important but Brainy and Nia are together in this, it’s Christmas after all ;)

Despite the morning glimmer that had been irradiating the room, its utter silence could fool one to believe it empty. 

As the hours went by, dreams beginning to fade, eyelids becoming lighter, consciousness threatening to be awakened, the soundlessness reigning thus far was disturbed by rushed little footsteps.

Mon-El quietly stirred awake, turning on his back, narrowly squinting his eyes and attempting to get accustomed to the light. Without warning, he felt a small body climb upon his chest, wide green eyes meeting his, an impish smile causing him to chuckle quietly. Recognizing his daughter as the intruder, he hugged her close, kissing the top of her head as she hid her face against his neck. As he slowly became aware of his surroundings, sensing his splayed legs along the back of the couch, tangled and bumping against something else, he noticed the presence of a third person curled up across from him.

His lips curved upward as Kara blinked, gaze locking with his, her hand traveling to her eye, wiping the sleepiness away. She stretched her arms and legs _(adorably so),_ releasing a small groan before smiling at them, sheepish, "Good morning."

"Morning," he replied, as Amelia turned on her side, glancing at the older blonde. He turned his head to his daughter, and whispered, "Merry Christmas, bug." The girl stared blankly at him for a few seconds, before squealing, her eyes and smile widening.

"Merry Christmas!" After dropping a peck to her dad's cheek, she sat up, excitement oozing out of her petite body. "It's Christmas!" she yelled, drawing a snicker out of Kara.

"Merry Christmas, Amelia," she cooed, jumping slightly when the girl crashed against her chest, arms around her neck, causing their chests to tremble as she chuckled yet again. Kara’s smile became smaller — a little timid yet not less genuine — as she held Amelia in her arms, her eyes returning to Mon-El's over the girl’s tiny shoulder. "Merry Christmas," she repeated the words significantly more quietly this time, meant solely for him.

"Merry Christmas, Kara." He grinned, watching his daughter crawl out of Kara's embrace and return to his side. The woman brought a hand to brush her hair, and when she looked down at her watch, he saw her eyebrows rising.

"Shoot, it's ten a.m. already!" She hastily stood up, looking around, frantic.

"There's still time, don't worry," he uttered, sensing her distress. "Go get changed, I'll clean up our little mess here and get Amelia and me ready too. Then we can set everything up together."

"Really?" Her creased forehead relaxed when he nodded, laughing. "Thank you!" she exclaimed, before sprinting toward her room.

  
  


"How do I look?" He looked up, having just finished dressing Amelia. His gaze traveled along Kara’s form, clad in a beautiful red dress that fell just above her knees, paired with a black belt around her waist. His face instantly began to beam.

"Gorgeous," he voiced. Her cheeks flushed, but it didn't stop her mirroring his smile. 

"Well, thank you. And, you, Mellie," she approached them, "look like a beautiful princess." She took the girl's hand, making her twirl. 

"Thank you," Amelia giggled, swinging from side to side, noticing how her blue dress followed the movement.

"Do you have a hairbrush I could borrow? I forgot to bring one," Mon-El asked, grimacing embarrassedly.

"Yeah, of course," Kara laughed. "Do you need any help doing her hair?"

  
  


"The place looks really beautiful, sweetheart," Kara’s adoptive mother, Eliza, remarked. The night before, they had hung lights all around the loft and finished decorating the tree. During the morning that followed, Kara had set up the table with Christmas themed linen, her finest silverware, and flower centerpieces. Mon-El had offered a hand with the cooking, and balanced his time between his attention-demanding four-year-old and working in the kitchen. It was in times like these that super-speed was advantageous, and only because of it he managed to carry out the job all but effortlessly.

Her mother and sister had arrived before the scheduled time, so that they could help with the last finishing touches. The remaining crowd didn't take long to get there, and soon everyone sat down, initiating the long awaited festivity. The meal had been most delightful, earning Eliza and Mon-El, responsible for most of it, praise from all around the table. 

Holiday times always carried an unmatched kind of energy, and Kara couldn't be happier hosting Christmas that year. She smiled at Eliza in response to the compliment, both standing near the counter, storing the leftover food.

"Thank you. I had help." Her eyes flickered to a certain someone on the couch, who had been talking to J'onn, and she had to contain a laugh when she saw Amelia climb his back.

"I see that," her mother nodded, smiling back. "So, Mon-El has a daughter, hmm?" Eliza questioned, having followed her daughter's gaze. 

"Yeah." Her voice was quiet and her already large smile became even wider. Alex, who had just joined them in the kitchen, frowned. She had been busy seeing out her girlfriend, who left after a quick peck on the lips and whispered words of gratitude.

"You seem happy about it," the redhead commented. Her sister was one of the kindest-hearted people she knew, but being so cheery after seeing her one great love with a kid seemed unlikely even for the blonde.

"Well, of course. Look at him, he's such a good dad. And Amelia is a sweetheart." 

"You're not bothered by it then?"

"Alex," the Danvers matriarch reprimanded, eying her daughter pointedly. Kara bit her lip, looking away, focusing on what she had been doing.

"It's nice to see him like this. It's been a long time. I can't keep holding hard feelings like I did the last time he was here. It wasn't healthy for either of us. Besides…" She averted her gaze to the window, blankly staring outside. "He's not married in this reality." 

"Right! I just put that together," Alex said.

"Am I missing something?" their mother inquired, confused. Kara sighed, dreading the explanation.

"In the other… timeline, when he came back from the future, he was married." Aside from her raised brows, there was not much surprise shown in Eliza's expression. "I can't believe no one told me, by the way." 

"Sorry." Alex grimaced. "It's a bit hard keeping up with both sets of memories. I'm guessing Winn didn't tell Mon-El either." 

"Nope." Kara pressed her lips together, as a question crossed the older sister's mind.

"Who's Amelia's mom, then?" 

"He adopted her," she clarified. "Brainiac destroyed her planet; she was the only survivor. Mon-El and his team found her and he just… he couldn't let her go." 

"Damn." 

"I know, right?" Kara gushed. Eliza smiled at her daughters, but there was worry visible in her eyes.

"What else are you feeling, sweetheart?" the mother asked.

Kara inhaled deeply, eyes moving to _him_ once again, before retreating to the counter below her. 

"I don't know if it matters right now." 

"It does. Maybe there's something you can do this time." 

"Kara!" Amelia called, giggling as she ran away from her father's grip. Kara turned to her mom, her lips pulled into a bashful smile, and mumbled a quick, uncertain, "thank you," before rushing to the girl's aid.

  
  


There were Christmas carols echoing within the room, and she couldn't resist the urge to hum along to the music, dancing somewhat clumsily as she swept her apartment's floors. Earlier that afternoon, wine and champagne bottles had been opened, as to extend their holiday spirits, in Alex's words. In normal circumstances, neither Kara nor Mon-El would have been affected by the beverages, their physiologies invulnerable to most things earthbound. But Nia, newer to the group and otherworldly herself, was revealed to have brought alcohol strong enough to have an effect on them, claiming it was only fair for the aliens to have their fun.

Kara and Mon-El knew better than to over-imbibe, the former wishing to keep the image of a responsible host, and the latter conscious that he was on parent duty. Even so, once the fairly sobered up guests left and Amelia was gently tucked into bed, their last half-empty bottle of alien wine began to look tempting, and they didn't see any harm finishing it as they worked to tidy the place.

As a result, Mon-El stood speechless, watching her move with an admiration he hadn't let himself feel until now. Her cheeks were flushed and her hair was tousled, much like his. Her contagious laugh was just a tad louder, her words less careful, her voice all the more beautiful. 

He smiled, approaching her, the alcohol not silencing his hesitation, but enough to help him dismiss whatever insecure thoughts he might have had.

"Dance with me," he whispered, chest close to her back, grabbing her hand. Her breath hitched, her eyes widening and lost in his as she turned to him. She pulled him with her as she moved to put her broom away, before facing him again. A quiet part of him knew he shouldn't, shouldn't fuel the need they both had for one another, but he needed this. Needed closure. His eyes moved between hers, uncertain of how to proceed. She slid her hand to his shoulder, the other still gripping his. She was giving him permission to lead her, entranced in his every move. He pulled her closer, not too close, swinging along to the rhythm. He grinned, gaining some confidence as the song became faster. He twirled her around, loving how her neck stretched as she threw her head back, laughing. They stumbled, tripped, nearly fell, but they were too carried away to mind.

At some point, her head fell to his shoulder, her arms tightly around his neck, while his remained secure around her waist. They slowly lost their pace, barely swaying in place, breath tickling each other's skin, ears faintly picking up the background music. After taking another deep breath, she raised her head, swallowing. He searched her eyes, watching them flicker to his lips, and held his breath. He was sober enough to want to know what was going on in her mind as she observed him oh-so carefully, yet too relaxed to form a coherent theory.

Before he could blink, her lips were on his, her hands traveling to his hair, leaving it even more rumpled than before. While he remained stunned, her lips were demanding, purposeful, contradictory in regards to the tipsy state she was in. He took a moment to react, the heat coursing through his veins too much at once, but he soon brought a hand to her flushed cheek, opening his mouth, allowing her entrance. He kissed her back just as ardently, trapping her bottom lip between his, feeling his pulse race.

She felt like she could cry, or burst from joy as she allowed herself to drown in his taste, in his scent. His teeth pulling her lips, his chest flush against hers, his hands running up and down her back, tugging at her hair… it was all too much, and yet not enough.

His breath came in short, rapid puffs against her mouth. His tongue explored and battled hers. His hand stroked her shoulder, wonderfully exposed due to her dress's off-shoulder neckline. His fingertips against her collarbone felt so thrilling that she was unable to stop a groan from escaping her throat.

Too distracted by her kiss, too drunk on the feeling of _her_ , he failed to process the meaning of what was happening, to organize and listen to his thoughts, to remember what he had told himself before she leapt into his arms.

Their lips became slower, more sluggish, and soon stopped touching, though hardly a breath apart. They could feel each other's panting through their rising and falling chests, their minds still clouded with the aftershocks.

_Amelia._

Just as Kara's eyes bore into his, he seemed to regain awareness of his thoughts, the passion previously ignited within him giving space for apprehension. She recognized the look in his eyes, the way they dimmed, their corners dropping. Her shoulders slumped, and she hesitantly took a step back, sighing as she locked her gaze on the floor, arms crossed.

Mon-El brought a hand to his face, rubbing his eyes, mentally kicking himself, cursing his _astonishing_ luck and timing.

"You should take my bed, with Amelia," Kara whispered, having been watching his mannerisms, not enjoying the pang of guilt and disappointment she was suddenly met with. He stared into her eyes, unable to form words yet needing to know she was sincere in her offer. "You've got a long trip tomorrow, you need rest."

"Okay," he breathed, crestfallen. "Goodnight, Kara." He gave her forearm a weak squeeze, and walked past her into her bedroom.

* * *

_  
The little girl had truly carved her space in his life, snuck her way into his heart. He was committed to being who she needed him to be, at least until he was contacted and told that there was a family waiting for her. In the beginning, he had convinced himself that that was what he wanted, what was best for them both._

_Now… he wasn't so sure._

_The thought that he would never see her toothy grin, hear her silly giggles, feel her breathing as she slept against his chest again…_

_The thought of giving her up..._

_It hurt. He didn't want to think about it, didn't want to change his mind when he was sure he wouldn't be good enough for her long term. She deserved someone who wasn't as burdened as he was, someone who didn't have to protect the world on a daily basis. Moreover, she deserved someone who was never scarred by their family, someone who had good examples to follow and no reason to fear failure._

_At least that was what he thought, until he heard her soft sniffling among the sounds of the tempestuous night._

_"Bug, hey, what's wrong?" he whispered, brushing her tears as he climbed onto her bed. She didn't reply, only closing her eyes and hugging his arm as tight as she could. He stroked her hair, holding her against him, her small body covered by his. "Did you have a bad dream?" He sighed as he heard her sniff again, nodding just slightly. "It's okay. You're okay. You're safe here. I won't let anything happen to you."_

_"'Tay here?" He smiled, kissing the top of her head._

_"Yeah. I'm not going anywhere." She turned in his hold, laying her head on his chest._

_He held his breath, fighting the tears in his eyes when she whispered something that took him off guard, "Thank you, daddy."_

_What happened next was thoroughly inevitable. He made his decision, and, after dealing with the required bureaucracy, praying that everything would go as planned, it became official. The little girl became Amelia Gand, and, upon her father's watery explanation of what it really meant, she jumped and squealed, her emotional outbursts expressing just exactly how he felt inside._

* * *

  
"Bug, wake up," he whispered in her ear, nudging her softly. Amelia stretched, releasing a small groan, making him smile as he brushed her hair. "I've already gathered all our stuff. It's time to go.”

He managed to pull her out of bed and help her change, despite the whines and glares she sent his way. "Want to say goodbye to Kara?" he asked, straightening her t-shirt. Amelia nodded, sniffing quietly, wiping her nose. 

He led his yawning daughter into the living room, and she set her sleepiness completely aside once she saw Kara waiting for them there. Amelia sprinted toward the woman, who immediately crouched and took the girl in a tight embrace.

"Bye, Kara," Amelia mumbled against Kara's shoulder.

"I'm going to miss you so much," Kara uttered, giving the child one last squeeze before standing up. She raised her gaze to Mon-El, a tender smile pulling her lips, though it didn't reach her eyes. "I loved meeting your little one. You're doing a great job with her." He stepped toward them, placing a hand on his daughter's back.

"Thank you." He appreciated her encouragement, her pride in him being the one thing he had always longed for, so he pulled a smile as real as possible, preparing for yet another farewell. "Thank you for everything. I'm sorry for crashing your Christmas with no heads up." Kara chuckled dryly, shaking her head.

"No, it was a joy to have you here." He nodded, memorizing her eyes once more.

"It was really good to see you." 

She gulped, her smile fading. "Yeah," she breathed.

Once they had walked out the door, her enhanced hearing picked up a part of their conversation. 

_"Thank you, daddy."_

_"For what, kiddo?"_

_"Christmas with Supergirl was cool."_

This time, she didn't make an effort to stop the tears blurring her vision. 

  
  


"Alex," he called, once back in The Tower.

"Hey," she replied, turning to him, hands on her hips. She saw he had his backpack over his shoulders, and Amelia stood next to him, gripping his hand. "Are you guys leaving?"

"Yeah." He smiled. "Just wanted to say goodbye. Right, Mellie?" His daughter hummed in agreement, nodding her head.

"Aw," Alex cooed at the girl, before looking at her father, opening her arms. "Not letting you go without a proper goodbye, this time." He chuckled, accepting her hug, closing his eyes as she embraced him tightly.

"It's always bittersweet leaving you guys," he confessed, pulling away, his chest rising, shy at his sincerity. Alex regarded him with narrow eyes, sensing a hidden affection behind his tone.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" He feared what this would be about, yet nodded nonetheless. 

"Bug, can you play with Mr. Speckles over there, while dad talks to Alex?" He pointed to the leather couch on the opposite side of the room.

"Yeah," she replied, frowning at her father, but shrugging shortly afterward. Once Amelia had retreated, Mon-El and Alex walked up the stairs leading to the balcony. He shot one last glance toward his daughter, wanting to make sure she would be well, and turned to Alex, biting the inside of his cheek. 

"I know what's going on inside your head," she stated, her expression still and serious. 

"Is that so?" he inquired, eyebrows shooting up, half sarcastically.

"Yes. Want me to expose your thoughts so you can confirm my suspicions?"

"I'm guessing the correct answer is yes." He lowered his chin, as intrigued as he was terrified.

"You're right." She turned away from him, looking forward at the skies. "You clearly don't want to leave just like that, but you think your lives are already complicated enough. You're superheroes, you have a daughter, hell, you live a millennium apart." He hummed, nodding. "Just like her, you don't believe that love is in the cards for you." 

"Alex-"

"No. For once, listen to me, Mon-El." She looked at him through the corner of her eye, a glimpse that lasted no longer than a second, yet her stance was stern enough to shut him up. "Aside from all of that, you think that pulling her into your life would be dumping a bigger responsibility on her and on your relationship, now that you have a kid to look after. Am I spot on, so far?"

"Yes. How are you doing this?"

"First of all, you're so obvious it's laughable. Secondly, my girlfriend is a psychologist; I picked up quite a few tricks."

"Right." His lips formed a tight line, his knuckles turning white around the handrail. She shook her head, almost disbelieving.

"That’s a load of bullshit.” His eyes widened at her curse, but he kept silent. “For your information, Kara loves kids, and she is already head over heels in love with Amelia. She would never make that a problem for you.”

“I know but-”

"I _know_ the possibility of something happening to you has crossed your mind, at least once. And I know you have people in the future you can count on, but you and I both know it's not the same. Wouldn't it make you less anxious to know that Amelia had someone else to trust like she trusts you? Someone who could build a strong bond with her, not just as a friend of her father's?"

"I've thought about it, Alex, but it's not fair to her."

"Of course not _—_ if the only reason why you choose to seek her out is to fulfill a parenting role. But I know you. She knows you. We all know that's not the case."

"Still. She's too good. I don't-"

“You were _forced_ to leave her twice, Mon-El. Now you’re telling me that you’re leaving out of your own volition, without trying anything else?!”

“She was doing just fine on her own!” He hadn’t meant to raise his voice, but her words had sparked the anger he had been suppressing, an anger mostly directed toward himself. 

Alex was taken aback by his exclamation, by the self-dread that dripped from his tone. With his back curved, his lips frowning, he mumbled, "Every time I crash land into her life, I end up hurting her."

She inhaled deeply, "It doesn't have to be like that. Times are different, you've grown a lot." He exhaled shakily, shutting his eyelids close. “You’re right, she doesn’t need you," she whispered, gaze and tone softening as she saw him fidget with his fingers. "But guess what? I didn’t need Kelly either. Nia didn’t need Brainy.” She shrugged. “We’re with these people because we love them, because we’re happier when they’re around. Do you think it’s easy for any of us? We’re all on the same boat, Mon-El. We all face danger, complications. But we choose to stay, because the effort is worth it. It’s _so_ worth it.” He shook his head, once again.

“How would a relationship between us even work?” This time his question came out hoarsely, tears filling his eyes.

“Your life is insane, but that doesn’t mean it's impossible. It can be just like a long distance relationship. You can go back and forth, together, each on your own, whatever you want. It’s not that hard when you want it to happen. Unless, of course, I misread you, and you actually don’t.”

 _Of course he did._ Did _she_ want it as well? She did jump into his arms just the night before, but it was hard to tell whether she had been considering a life with him, or just following an impulse boosted by the alcohol.

“She’s probably on her couch right now, eating ice cream, telling herself that if you wanted to be with her, you’d have done something about it already,” Alex voiced, reading his mind. He laughed, hanging his head. "It's worth a shot."

He couldn’t believe that he was truly beginning to consider it a plausible idea. He sighed, shaking his head.

“Will you keep an eye on her for me?” He tilted his head in his daughter’s direction, life coming back to his eyes at last.

“Of course,” she grinned, pushing him by the shoulder, triumphant.

  
  


She had barely had time to greet him, let alone assimilate the fact that he was really back, facing her, when the words came spilling from his mouth,

"Amelia and I want to know if you want to spend a second Christmas in the thirty-first century,” he panted, hands clasped together, pulse racing. “With us." 

The large smile that broke onto Kara’s face, along with the visible way her eyes lit up, was almost as adorable as Amelia's elated leaping into the woman's arms upon hearing the news.

  
  


_As sure as snowflakes fall from the blue, I will always remember this night here with you._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for sticking with me to the end! I hope this was a nice conclusion! Let me hear your thoughts <3
> 
> Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays everyone!

**Author's Note:**

> Quite nervous about this... let me hear your thoughts!  
> Hope you enjoyed this. The other two chapters are already written. Here's when I plan to update:  
> Chapter 2: December 16th.  
> Chapter 3: December 23rd.
> 
> Kat, I truly hope this made you smile. Sending love and hugs <3


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